Something Borrowed
by EmmWebb
Summary: The deal was three gifts; three different tokens from villages hoping to strengthen bonds with Konoha. Yet, Leaf Village is given something completely unexpected. How will the society cope with three new females among them?
1. Chapter 1: The Meeting

**Chapter** **One**

**Disclaimer: Ok, I don't own any Naruto; except for Sairi, Kaori, and Rin (my Rin). Now Higen's kinda weird; he does appear in the manga and speaks, but I don't think anyone knows his name or anything (if it does, tell me!), so I decided to mold him to fit my own ideas! grins Anyways, so they drew him and I made him; so whatever you believe there. **

**Anyways, this is my first Naruto fic, and I'm excited! I know parts may resemble Khazia's The Three Otaku, but there are many differences and the sequels will be completely different… Just wanted ya to know that if you started to wonder. Anyways, if you read this, leave me a review and let me know if I should continue with it or not. And give me some tips! There's nothing I love better than making my writing better for you guys… So yeah, let's get to it shall we?**

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Katsumata Higen stood in the middle of the forest, leaning lazily against a tree. His tired ears were listening to the repeating sounds around him of frolicking rodents about to crawl into their burrows. He had been in that exact spot for almost five hours. They had left their village, Konoha, early that morning in expectance of a delivery from three different villages: Rain, Cloud, and Star. He was starting to doubt that they were ever going to get out of there within the year; much less with the packages for the Hokage.

"Don't fall asleep," His comrade, Sarutobi Asuma, warned jokingly from a few feet away. A smirk crossed Higen's face at this comment. Slowly his hand passed the single loose strip of wrapping that sat on his nose, his fingers running partly through his black hair.

"Hey, Asuma," Higen spoke through the toothpick he was chewing on impatiently. This was a common scene, because sometimes he just needed something to calm his turbo charged nerves… And he would never smoke. If he smoked, he endangered his speed and his drive to be the best. Unlike Asuma, who drew in a deep breath of his cigarette in response.

He exhaled the smoke in a single smooth breath. "I know, I can see exactly why my team couldn't come along."

* * *

Arakida Kaori continued to walk through the wooded area, each footstep crunching dead leaves in the silence. These sounds came closer and closer together as Kaori's pace quickened, her eyes darting over her shoulder every few moments at the spindly black shadows of the trees. She had no idea how long she had been walking, but she was finally becoming tired and even more afraid every moment.

Sighing, she tried her best to follow the path in front of her. It was supposed to lead towards her meeting point with the Leaf Shinobi, a safer place, and that warm and comfortable bed that her grandfather had promised her. The quicker she got there, the better everything would be. As a bird suddenly shot out of a tree overhead, screeching, Kaori tripped over an uprooted tree root and into a clearing.

* * *

The suspicious fluttering of squirrels scurrying through the brush caused Sairi to almost constantly twirl towards the sound, a fatal kunai in hand. The moment she realized it was a harmless animal she would regain her composure and continue to walk; just like she had been doing since hours before the sun rose that morning.

Earlier that day, Sairi had taken time to hurry and run towards her destination. Now that she had been running all day, she was starting to feel fatigued. She just wasn't built for the endurance of running for hours straight; she was built for the speed that was unmatched by anyone from her village. Or at least that's what her training had made her become.

Finally, and without warning, a small tinge of relief washed through her. It was the sight of a distant fire through the trees that gave her this feeling, but it was instantly replaced as she realized it could be anyone; including someone other than a Leaf Shinobi squad that was supposed to retrieve her.

* * *

Mitsui Rin walked calmly through the wooded path, not even pausing to cast the shadowy figures of animals and trees a second glance. She was having slight trouble walking for so long in her attire… But the seemingly Japanese inspired long black dress blended in with the darkness. The dress had a long slit up the side until it reached just below her hip, where there was an almost invisible pair of skin-tight shorts. The only part of her that didn't blend in with the wicked scenery was her fair hair and skin.

The sounds of screams and yells ahead of her forced her to pause. The warning gears in her head turned at lightening speed. She was yards away from the set meeting place, but the red flags were all there. Suddenly it all stopped, and there was silence heard for a moment before Rin continued. If someone was in trouble, then Rin would have to use her powers to help them. And if not, hopefully it would be the Konohans waiting for her. She was praying for the latter.

* * *

A bored groan escaped Higen's lips; he seriously didn't think he'd be able to take much more for much longer. He walked to the edge of the clearing in an irritated manner, peering into the darkness. Just as he did, a pink haired girl feel onto him; and through his surprise he caught her just before hitting the ground. As he held her up by her shoulders his eyes ran over her Hitae-ate. Rain. The girl looked up at Higen with wide-eyes, then began to panic.

"Let me go!" She exclaimed, flailing her arms as she tried to fight away from him. Higen struggled to keep a hold of her, making the mistake of keeping a tight grasp on her waist. This gave her full range of her hands to slap him about the arms, although in her alarmed state it was nothing but a limp swing.

"I can't…" Higen returned with a hint of frustration in his voice. If this girl would just be observant instead of jumping to conclusions, neither one of them would be in the awkward situation they were in now… Or at least Higen wouldn't have to deal with this girl freaking out.

"GET OFF ME YOU PEDOPHILE!"

The girl screeched, finally getting enough focus to stop and kick him in the shins. There was no water around that she could sense, so there was no way she could protect herself… This man was allowing her no room to perform the vital hand sequences that she used. Besides, he was at least three times her size and probably ten times more skilled and experienced than she was. How was she supposed to be a match?

A flash of silver flew between the both of them, cutting a strand of Kaori's hair cleanly in half and coming riskily close to Higen's nose. On the tree beside them were two kunai, nailing the hair to the bark behind it. Higen's gaze trailed a few feet away, where a pair of lilac eyes stared bitterly down at him from the shadows.

"What the-" Higen threw the pink haired girl behind him, immediately falling into a defensive position. A petite ninja flew to the ground before him, still crouching in preparation as she threw a scroll to the ground beside her. Her. It was a woman. Being the man he was, Higen's eyes trailed over her short, kimono-like dress that ended just at her thighs, sleeveless and looking rather nice. It was just above a Hitae-ate tied tightly to her right thigh, where Higen was able to catch a quick glance before she began to charge at him. She was the deliverer from Star Village.

"I-I'm…" Higen struggled to speak to hear as the flurry of punches and kicks began. A bad chick who knew advanced taijutsu. He decided to quit the negotiations; these non-Shinobi didn't know _anything_. A determined look set on his face as he threw a punch at her, coming in contact with her mouth. He received a rather harsh counterblow to his jaw from the side of her foot. They were moving at speeds that Higen wasn't used to; he wasn't accustomed to someone being as fast as he was.

Kaori gasped and tried to scramble away from the fight, speechless. Just before she was stepped on by Higen, two strong arms hooked underneath hers and pulled her out to safety. She looked up to see a tall, bearded man smoking a cigarette; once again frightened and almost screamed again. She was trapped and caught once more. Yet he sat her down beside him and began to watch the two fight with interest.

After a few moments, Kaori was comfortable enough around this man to speak. "How can they do hand sequences that fast?" She asked, automatically assuming they were using the same jutsu she specialized in. An amused smirk crossed Asuma's face as he chuckled. So much for telling Higen not to fall asleep; Asuma had only promised himself a few seconds of shut eyes before he had faded into a short dream.

"They're not. They're using taijutsu." He answered, sighing as a mouthful of smoke was exhaled. Kaori coughed as the smoke of his strong tobacco seemed to burn her own throat, causing her eyes to water. It faded quickly.

Kaori punched the air victoriously. "Yeah! You go girl!" She cheered, as the fight slowed down for a moment. Both of the two skidded to a stop in the dirt, now a yard or two apart. Their chests were rising and falling quickly during this short break, and a trail of blood trickled from the corner of the girl's mouth. Higen seemed to be unaffected besides the surprised look on his face and a few sore spots on his face that would bruise later. These didn't stop the two from clashing once more, as seconds later the girl lunged herself at Higen. By some stroke of luck he dodged this and maneuvered her body, using her weight against her to slam her against a tree. The girl gasped for air like a fish out of water, the air suddenly knocked out of her, and the oxygen rushing into her lungs stung icily. She coughed, a small spatter of blood moving into the air. It barely reached Higen and landed on his noseband, but he didn't seem to notice. He held her tight against the tree by her shoulders, staring her in the eye. She didn't fight it anymore.

The cocky smile faded on his face as he pointed to his Hitae-ate. "Look here princess," He pulled his black hair back to assist in an already clear view, and finally set on ripping it off and shoving it close to her face. "You see that! That means _leaf_. Ko-no-ha." He snapped at her firmly, receiving a growl in return. "We're here to accept your package, not murder your worst ninja."

"Higen!" Asuma barked, and after another moment of staring daggers at each other, Higen let the girl drop to the ground. She coughed for a moment and wiped the blood from her mouth on the lavender fabric that covered her arm from her middle finger to an inch below her elbow. Higen turned and stormed away, stopping a few feet behind Asuma and sitting on an uprooted tree root. She jerked the two kunai out of the tree behind her, which she had come dangerously close to colliding with when she was pounded against the trunk.

"What's your name?" Asuma asked, as if making polite conversation. The girl looked up at him fiercely.

"Hayata Sairi." She answered coldly, holstering her kunai back on her thin black belt. Asuma nodded as if he were deep in thought; something that Higen himself knew was impossible.

Asuma looked down at the girl beside him, a gentle curve at the ends of his mouth. "And you?" He asked, and her low pigtails danced as she hopped for a minute and grinned.

"Arakida Kaori!"

There was a sudden silence as the gentle breeze blew through the leaves on the forest floor, a calming scene in nature if you were used to it. It sent Kaori's hair into a mesmerizing sway and tossed Sairi's shoulder-length dark tresses in her face. Sairi's eyes darted over the bearded man's shoulder, chasing what she thought were a flicker of fair yellow… But was obviously wrong. "I am Sarutobi Asuma, a Jounin of Konoha."

A new, silky voice sounded from the opposite side of the clearing. So Sairi had been right. "Mitsui Rin, Kumo no Sato." Before them, or rather behind Asuma and Higen; was another young woman with long, pale blonde hair that fell to her hips. It was in slender ponytails tied by black lace. Higen's eyes examined her too, from head to toe and landing finally on the Hitae-ate around her waist.

"Village hidden by Clouds." He breathed the words to himself.

The taller, thin girl nodded silently, walking to the center of the opening to Asuma. Here she held out a small wrapped parchment, tied taught with black silk. Here Kaori's face lit up like she had just remembered something, and dug in the pack which was slung over her shoulder. She produced a similar looking cylinder, tied in a blue stringed bow. Sairi's, unsurprisingly, was still lying on the ground beside the tree from her struggle with Higen. The outside was stained with a small spray of blood, and had also been tied with deep purple silk. Asuma blinked, as if overwhelmed by it all at once, but took them all anyways and began to open them. Higen, in the meanwhile, was sitting on a tree root and glaring at Sairi every few moments. Asuma raised an eyebrow at the letter, his eyes scanning over it skeptically.

_ Lord Hokage,_

_As you already know by now, the __Amegakure no Sato wishes to be the next  
village to be accepted into the strong treaties of the Konoha. I believe that an alliance between our villages will be most helpful to both futures. To help persuade you in this decision, I have sent you a gift. My granddaughter, Arakida Kaori, whom is very skilled at housework and is also a talented ninja. She has the gifted Kekkei Genkai that is only prominent, which you probably know of. I hope she pleases you, and I wait to hear a response from you soon.  
Sincerely,  
Kuga Numomaru _

Asuma's eyes looked warily over the paper at Kaori. She grinned up at him, and he merely looked back down to the letter. Yes, such a hyper teenaged girl would be welcome to run wild in the Hokage's palace. And Higen was the next Hokage. With a sigh Asuma rolled the scroll back together and tossed it to Higen, whose disregard for privacy was evident as he almost tore the parchment trying to open it. Asuma though, slowly becoming used to his rash nature, moved on to the next letter.

_ Hokage of Konohagakure,_

_It is my pleasure to come in correspondence with you once again. I believe that you have knowledge of our interest in a closer treaty or association. We can both feel the tension growing in the countries, and it would bring us both great comfort to know we have a supply of another army at hand. I am giving you my only daughter, Rin, as a sign of my faith in this proposal and a token of prelude to loyalty. She is giftedly clever, and very skilled as a Cloud ninja. She wields a bloodline trait of the electricity manipulation; which is very common here. Your flight of response is greatly appreciated.  
Signed,  
Kage Raikage _

"Great." Asuma muttered under his breath, retying the scroll. These were _not_ the kind of things the Hokage had expected as a gift from the villages. These were _people_; as if it were an arranged marriage. Not that those kinds of things weren't still happening, but Asuma wasn't one who agreed with it. He just kind of sat back and watched the rest of the world live their lives. '_This one had better be good…_' He thought to himself as he opened the third and final message.

_Dear Sarutobi Hokage,_

_Our converse of a union has been taking place for years now. Now that times are becoming more stressed, I am becoming more desperate. I'm sure you know one of my greatest ninja families, Hayata. He of course both have been killed, but their daughter is the prodigy of her ranking; and perhaps the entire fleet. I am happy to present her to you as a contribution to your elite squad. I would be highly pleased if you replied with the utmost speed.  
With all due respect,  
Hoshikage __Akahoshi _

The last message was tossed in what was almost disgust. Asuma wasn't revolted by the girls, but rather by their leaders. As if three girls could be tossed around and make everyone happy so they could become friends. What really churned his stomach was what these leaders thought the Hokage would do with these girls. Or at least what they _might_ think… Asuma was hoping they didn't, but nowadays, such inappropriate things were unavoidable. Not that his mind didn't wander to it every couple minutes; but after being around this Kaori girl for only a few minutes, it made him sick to think of her being hurt in such a way.

"What the _hell_ is wrong with you people!" Higen asked loudly, jumping up to his feet and dropping the scroll as if it had a plague. He kicked the last letter easily into the opened bag on the ground. Like three girls could change things so easily… Just like the magic spell that the other villages needed. An upset look instantly popped onto Kaori's face, and a deathly glare set onto Sairi's. Rin's expression remained blank.

* * *

"Ladies," Asuma finished rolling out the last of the deep green sleeping bags and stepped back to survey his work. He gestured to each of the temporary beds, "Here's your place for the night." Kaori's face curled into a surprised expression, as Rin and Sairi moved towards the make-shift bed like robots.

"We're staying _here_?" She asked, gaping at what she believed would be like sleeping on needles. Her face revealed it too. Higen snickered, sliding into his own sleeping bag a few feet away.

"Yes, _princess_." He sneered, still slightly ego wounded from the fight before. "We were supposed to be back in Konoha four hours ago. But you were late; you're lucky you have this much."

Kaori hung her head and nodded solemnly, crawling into her sleeping place before it became too dark. She noticed how wrong she was about the comfort; and although it wasn't any palace quarters, it was actually quite warm. She snuggled into the fabric and drew it closer to her, just as Asuma threw a pail of sand on the fire. The last thing he needed was a fight from a couple of rogues or missing nin; especially with three very important girls from other villages. If the leaders would have only told them it was girls, they would have been able to bring a larger group for backup. But now they were in over their heads in possible dangerous situations, and Asuma knew well that there was no way that he and Higen could protect all the girls from battle; no matter how good Higen thought he was. Of course that one… Sairi was her name. She seemed like she knew what she was doing. But still, there was the liability he and Higen took if one of them was hurt before the Hokage…

Kaori scooted closer to Sairi, her form molding into a position to where she was as close as possible to the Star ninja. Sairi immediately noticed and moved over, but it continued once more. Sairi rolled over and stared at the girl with her pastel purple eyes, scaring Kaori even more for a moment. They seemed to glow in the dark, and Kaori had to pause for a moment before she was able to speak.

Sairi wasn't going to just sit there when she had been sprinting all day and needed to store her energy for the next. "What do you want." She asked firmly, sounding more like a statement than her genuinely asking. Kaori gulped.

"I-I'm sorry…" She said quietly, barely audible in the silence of the night. Sairi didn't move. The wind blew through the leaves ominously, creating shadowy monsters only feet away from Kaori. "Just… I'm sorry… Please? I'm scared." She whispered hoarsely, jumping as the wind whistled loudly through a tree and caused a monster next to her to scream. Sairi sighed. Trying to help this girl before would prove to be a nuisance; but she seemed so helpless… And if she didn't let her, Sairi would get no sleep and in no way would be presentable before the Hokage. She hadn't had to care for a younger sibling before, but she finally decided to help this girl. This once.

"Alright." She replied, closing the eyes and letting the girl move close enough to feel Sairi's warmth. That was all Kaori had wanted; just to know that someone was beside her was enough to make her feel safe again. Soon both girl's breathing had become slowed, as their minds feel into the depths of sleep and wonders of what could possibly happen when they reached Konoha the next day.

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So, what'd you think? Lemme know! Give me some ideas! If it sucks, only you can help me make it better. ;)


	2. Chapter 2: Arrival

**Chapter Two**

**Disclaimer: Ok, I think one in the first chapter is enough… It wastes space… Heh. I don't own Naruto or anything, except for Sairi, Rin, and Kaori. For the deal with Higen, hit the button above that takes you back to chapter one.**

**Hey! Thanks for all the reviews you guys; it really made my day. The reviews were off to a rocky start, well the first one, but you guys were great. I'm glad you like it, and hope I don't mess anything up this chapter… But knowing my luck, by the end, you'll hate it.**

**So yeah, I should get started, shouldn't I?**

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"Get _up_."

Higen commanded the two girls for at least the fifth time, frustrated with the results. Rin had been the first and only one to follow his orders, getting up somewhere around the second call. But it wasn't as fast as Higen would have liked it, of course. Then again, he wouldn't have been pleased no matter how quickly she would have jumped to his request. But still, there lay Kaori and Sairi, still asleep. That was what infuriated him the most. At least Rin had been moving. Kaori lay on her back, her chest slowly rising and falling. It wasn't hard to tell she was deeply dreaming. But Sairi; he knew she was just doing this to agitate him. He bent at the hip, glaring daggers at the back of both the females' heads. They didn't move. "I _will_ get a bucket of water."

"I'd like to see you try." Sairi snapped in reply, finally sitting up. The top half of the sleeping bag that had followed her movements slid around her waist as she turned. Gently at first, she shook the younger girl next to her, yielding no results. She pushed her side twice. The girl was as silent and still as a rock. After a few more shakes she had awakened, and Sairi had climbed out of the makeshift bed and was standing while she re-harnessed her kunai belt. She didn't carry many weapons with her, she thought that her taijutsu was just as much a deadly weapon; but just in case, the kunai and shuriken gave her a sense of plan 'b' security.

Higen didn't hesitate to grab her sleeping bag and roll it up as fast as he could, clearly now in a foul mood. Because of Sairi, no doubt. Of course it was her fault, and she knew it. It was because she didn't bow to him and call him master. "Good job. Now we're late; _again_." He muttered to her under his breath, throwing the rolled up bedding in a pile with the rest. He was supposed to have already packed the others, but he had decided on some not too smart idea to wait for the others to awaken. Now all they needed were the two girls to get over themselves and get ready. It shouldn't have taken them so long to get ready; they weren't going to eat dinner at the King's Palace. They were walking on a path. As if.

"You need to get over yourself." Sairi spoke to him aloud as she checked to make sure all her things were gathered; although it consisted of nothing more than the clothes she wore and the few mere kunai and shuriken she carried with her. She observed their bluntness as she spoke. They would easily make her bleed if she wasn't careful. "You're not a god." She spoke calmly, just as if she would be talking about yesterday's weather or someone's plans for the next day.

Higen stopped packing to yell over his shoulder. "Me? A _god_? And you think you're all high and mighty because you threw a knife between me and a little girl?" He asked angrily, clenching his fist tightly. It would take all he had not to start another physical fight with this girl; and this time, he would make sure he didn't lose. Last time he didn't lose, he had just been called off like a dog. But again, wolves _could_ be pretty vicious.

"Higen, c'mon, leave the girl alone." Asuma stood at the beginning of the path, a backpack packed and ready on his back. He seemed amused by how easily Sairi could upset him; although it wasn't that hard if someone tried. It could actually be pretty entertaining, because Higen _was_ the best and all. Once again, Asuma would be the next Hokage.

"And I'm _not_ little!" Kaori scuffed, crossing her arms across her chest. She was already standing beside Asuma, ready to go with Rin slightly behind her. All she had to do was get out of bed and fix her hair, and she was ready. It really didn't take that long, only a few minutes, and she didn't know why Higen was throwing such a hissy fit. Besides, it shouldn't matter that she wasn't as talented as some of the other ninja. It shouldn't, but it did.

Higen immediately stood up. This was not his fault. "I didn't say _anything_ to her!" He retorted defensively, gesturing to the girl behind him who was checking her armbands. Asuma took a glance at her before looking back at Higen. The skeptical expression on his face told Higen everything. Without another word he fell back onto his knees to force the sleeping bags into his backpack violently. Although he didn't want to admit it, he had lost another fight against her this very minute. Asuma believed her. Sairi knew without a doubt that the sleeping bags represented her face as he pushed and punched them as hard as he could into the bag.

Sairi, finally pleased with her gear and appearance, looked down at Higen. "What _is_ your name anyway?" She asked curiously, remembering that he hadn't introduced himself the night before when everyone else had. It was rude in many villages, including Sairi's, not to introduce oneself. But then again, Higen wasn't exactly the most polite person Sairi had met.

"If you haven't been paying attention at all," Higen started, referring to the couple of times that Asuma had to call him into check, "Katsumata Higen." He answered lowly, and not too warmly at that. Sairi shrugged indifferently and took her place alongside the group.

"Well, you'd better hurry. You're making us late."

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Konoha and the Hokage's palace couldn't have come soon enough. Relief washed over Higen like a gentle, but sudden wave at the sight of the fortress. Even Asuma was happy to be released from the tension and sparks that seemed to constantly be flying between Higen and Sairi; or Higen and anyone for that matter. Normally, from what Asuma had experienced, the Jonin had only been arrogant and self-centered. Not that he wasn't acting that way now, but it was to more of an extreme than ever. Sometimes he could be a little helpful, on a normal occasion.

That Kaori girl was adorable; or so Asuma thought. Higen thought she was too annoying and hyper-active. She followed Asuma everywhere he went, like a little puppy that would follow the young boy to school. She was always there behind him, her pigtails bouncing up and down as she would grin and babble on about various subjects to him forever. She had trusted him so easily, and for a while he would wonder why, until he decided to accept it for how it was and go on with it. Besides, he really didn't mind. He was too amused by it to get aggravated.

"Is that it?" Kaori asked excitedly as her green eyes set on the Hokage's palace. Her face lit up anxiously as Asuma nodded in response. Sairi analyzed it closely, trying to examine its every detail. Rin didn't even seem like she noticed anything. What was going on? Was this girl a robot or something?

'_So this is our new home…'_ Sairi thought doubtfully as they entered between two guards, and then straight into a spacious room that felt empty. '_It doesn't look too cozy_.' She added to herself, trying to note every feature of her surroundings. Every face, every chair, every window… She wanted to remember it all. She wasn't able to finish before all three girls were whisked into the next room, and Higen received a deathly glare for trying to gently push her along.

The next room was just as wide and open, feeling chilled like there was a fresh breeze blowing through each of them. Kaori shook for a moment before she became accustomed to the feeling; not that she wasn't used to the cold… But usually it would be a little humid form the rain and mist in her village. Sairi silently thanked her style and fashion for the fabric that covered her lower arms and legs. Rin, however, didn't have many problems because of the length of her dress; except for her short sleeves. Behind an oak desk at the back sat an elderly man, with an oddly shaped white hat trimmed and decorated in red. A veil of white fell from the hat and onto his shoulders, leaving the front open for his face. The Hokage.

"Lord Hokage," Asuma made their presence known as he tipped his head forward in respect. They continued until they reached the opposite side of his desk, standing before him and waiting to be acknowledged. He looked up, and although he seemed a little surprised by the amount of people before him, he smiled warmly.

"My, my Asuma… What do we have here?" He inquired, examining each of the girls. His eyes fell first on what appeared to be the youngest, a pink haired girl with long, low pigtails. How interesting… Then there was an older girl, with a thin belt of kunai and shuriken that glinted in the light. And last, what seemed to be the poster child for darkness. The blonde haired girl was no doubt from the Hidden Cloud village; he had seen that type of royal attire many times on peace journeys to her village. Not to mention the Hitai-ate tied around her waist. But the other two he wasn't able to decipher before they were introduced.

"Your gifts; from the three villages." Asuma explained, and he was sure he shared the same confused look the night before that the Hokage had now. "From Rain, Star, and Cloud." He nodded to each at the sound of their village, along with tiny movements that each girl made when their village's name was heard.

The Hokage raised an eyebrow. "So where are they?"

"Right in front of you sir."

The elder's eyes rose once more to look at the girls, pressing his fingertips together in thought. Well, this sure _was _interesting. Of course, he couldn't just send the girls back. What would he be trying to do, start a war? Telling the leaders that their daughters weren't good enough for him? Although they weren't the strongest villages, aside from Cloud, the Hokage didn't favor the thought of a three-on-one fight. With this on his mind, he intertwined his fingers. They would have to learn to live here somehow. "Tell me, what do you plan on doing here, my princesses?" He asked, assuming they were all of royal blood. Of course he had miss-guessed that fact; but he wasn't corrected.

After a pause, Sairi was the first to answer. "I would like to continue my training." She told him, receiving an understanding nod in response. A pleased expression sat on her face as she realized she might be given the chance to do so. Not that she was going to let anyone stop her if they told her no…

"Me too!" Kaori announced, as both Asuma and the Hokage smirked. The room suddenly seemed to concentrate on Rin, as if they expected her to jump in and excitedly and agree. From what they knew so far, and from her few words spoken, they should have known better than to think so.

"I will." She agreed, nodding her head once. The Hokage seemed happy at their decision, with a hint of melody in his voice as he spoke.

"Higen, summon Hatake Kakashi."

* * *

All three girls now stood in a neat row on one side of the room, quietly listening to the conversation only a few feet away. There was a new ninja, dressed in a green flak jacket and a blue outfit, who had joined them. From what Sairi could tell, this was that Hatake Kakashi man that the Hokage had been speaking of. He looked mysterious; but in an approachable way that Sairi couldn't explain. Maybe it was the way he was acting so casual, or just the way he spoke that made her relax.

"Kakashi," The Hokage began, "would you be willing to take in three new students? They would each be from Cloud, Rain, or Star." He explained, as Kakashi's one visible eyebrow rose. He was wearing a navy face mask that covered the bottom half of his face; while his Hatai-ate was slung over his left eye. Three new students, from three separate villages? That would be a little much to handle, but there was never too much for Hatake Kakashi to handle; although it would have to be entertaining… Maybe this was his punishment for never passing a team before; he would finally be pegged down with what all the other Jonin sensei had been putting up with over the years.

Asuma himself looked slightly astonished. Here he was, with his own team, and the Hokage had called Kakashi to see if he needed any extra students. He felt as if he was being ignored; like he was invisible and he wasn't there. Besides, his team was one of the slackers that lagged behind. He could use someone like Sairi to push them further ahead; and someone like Kaori when they started to agitate him. Rin; he didn't know what she would be for, but he could diffidently use them. But now they were being offered to Kakashi.

The way Kakashi's eye closed revealed to Sairi he was smiling. "Of course, Lord Hokage." He answered, and Sairi's heart seemed to jump. Yes, she didn't _need_ this ninja to continue furthering her skills; but it would be nice to get it set up the quickest way possible. "If they each pass an entrance exam." He added. So maybe the quickest way wasn't always the easiest… But how hard can an entrance exam be? She was already on level three in her training at her old village. Most likely whatever he threw at them, she had already experienced. But she couldn't help but have a gut feeling… With a glance to her side she noticed that neither one of the other girls looked nervous at this news. Maybe it wasn't so bad after all…

"When?"

"Monday, that's our next scheduled practice." Kakashi gave the explanation voluntarily, as Sairi pondered what it could possibly be. Monday… It was Saturday already. It couldn't be something that took time to set up; he only had two days to get ready. And _they_ only had two days to get prepared for their entrance exams.

The Hokage moved onto the next order of business smoothly. "Then it's settled. Monday. Higen, I would like to request that you assist Kakashi with his potential trainees." Higen looked as if his jaw would drop. He refused to teach genin for a _reason_. He didn't want to. "That is, if you don't mind." The Hokage added, waiting for a response from the jonin. He was, of course, practically gaping at his leader, but his mind was racking away at what his possible answer would be. He _never_ second guessed his initial ideals, but he couldn't ignore this feeling that maybe there would be something good in this… Yes. Sairi would be his subordinate. He could fight her until he won; which would be the first try, no doubt.

The answer was easy. "Alright, I guess it won't hurt." Higen glanced over at Sairi, who looked shocked by his words. If he detested her so much, why was he volunteering to spend _more_ time with her? And help her with training? But then again, her training with him wasn't guaranteed. She could always fail the entrance exam, although she doubted it… But it was possible.

"Great, great." The Hokage seemed more and more blissful as things continued to work out perfectly. It looked as if this wouldn't take any work at all; and he was getting a better relationship with three other villages in the process. Maybe, for him this time, the quickest and the easiest way went hand in hand. "Now, as for living arrangements… Higen, I understand you have a four room apartment?" He began, as Higen looked insulted once more. He had accepted the earlier invitation; but that was for other reasons. Almost opposite reasons. If he thought that Higen was going to _live_ with that girl, he had another thing coming. In the politest way that he could make it.

"There is _no_ way that girl is going to live with me." Higen told him flatly, and the Hokage looked at him questioningly. Which one was he talking about? The youngest? Well, he was sure he could find arrangements for her somewhere else, if he really disliked her that much…

Sairi felt like she had been lit on fire. Not that she wanted to stay with him; but he was _so_ disrespectful, ungrateful, and _rude_. "I've had enough of your crap, Katsumata!" She snapped angrily from her place beside Kaori, her tightly bound fists trembling softly at her sides. It was all she could do not to walk right over there and kick his face in. All eyes rested on her and her fierce glare at Higen, who looked back at her half innocently.

Kakashi finally stepped in. "I might be able to manage one, but there's no chance of any more." He offered, and the Hokage nodded in unison with Higen.

"Good, I'll take the other two." The words left Higen's mouth before he knew what he was saying. But he gave in; the other two couldn't be that much trouble. That was until it hit him that he would be stuck with that Kaori girl; and he didn't know for a moment who he would rather be with. The annoying, bounce-off-the-wall girl, or the tomboy who thought she was better than everyone else. Well, at least he knew he could snap the little girl into her place. He had done it once or twice on their way back before Asuma became defensive. So Higen _should_ be able to control her to some extent while she was there…

The Hokage smiled at how nicely things were flowing. It was all just too good to be true; but he would bask in it while it lasted. "Good; good you two. Nicely done. Now Kakashi, since you offered so kindly, I'll let you pick."

Sairi sighed inwardly. At least she wouldn't have to put up with Higen almost _every_ second of the day. Surely this guy, Kakashi, would pick her. Higen looked slightly edgy at that fact as he eyed his comrade; whom seemed to be looking over each one carefully. Of course, if he was smart, he would pick Sairi. Higen had already made it clear that he didn't want her. And this was probably just one of his old tricks to scare them into thinking he was going to do something different. And he was proved completely wrong.

"You, uh…" Kakashi bent slightly, narrowing his eye from the distance as if it was difficult to make out Rin's Hatai-ate. "The one from Cloud. What's your name?" He asked curiously, as Rin spoke for the first time since he had arrived.

Rin bowed her head as she did so, hoping to show some sense of respect. The first impression was always the most important. "Mitsui Rin."

"Rin, huh? I pick her."

The look on Higen's face was priceless.

His eyes widened as his jaw slacked, gawking at both Kaori and Sairi. He would have to live with them _both_. No. Not in his worst nightmare. This couldn't be happening… But if he backed out now, he would just be a coward. People who don't keep their minds set are weak. Higen wanted so badly to be weak that moment.

* * *

**Hmm… What do you think? Better, worse, the same? Let me know, because I'm your slave and I'm here to please you… Heh. What do you think will happen next, huh?**


End file.
